MHB [ASK] Tangent of a Circle (Again)

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The discussion revolves around finding the value of m for which the line x + my = 1 is a tangent to the circle defined by the equation x² + y² - 4x + 6y + 8 = 0. The center of the circle is identified as (2, -3) with a radius of √5. A participant suggests substituting x = 1 - my into the circle's equation and then setting the discriminant of the resulting quadratic in y to zero to find m. After performing the calculations, it is concluded that the correct value of m is 2, aligning with option D. The solution process highlights the importance of careful algebraic manipulation and verification.
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If the line x + my = 1 is a tangent of the circle $$x^2+y^2-4x+6y+8=0$$, the value of m is ...
A. -2
B. $$\frac{1}{4}$$
C. $$\frac{1}{4}$$
D. 3
E. 4

Looking at the circle's equation, the center is (2, -3) and the radius is $$\sqrt5$$. If I know the coordinate where the line meet the circle I think I can solve this by myself, but I don't know how. Should I substitute x = 1 - my to the circle equation, or is there a simpler way?
 
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Monoxdifly said:
...Should I substitute x = 1 - my to the circle equation, or is there a simpler way?

I think that's what I would do...and then equate the discriminant of the resulting quadratic in $y$ to zero. :)
 
Fine... Let's try:
$$x^2+y^2-4x+6y+8=0$$
$$(1-my)^2+y^2-4(1-my)+6y+8=0$$
$$1-2my+m^2y^2+y^2-4+4my+6y+8=0$$
$$(m^2+1)y^2+(6+2m)y+5=0$$

D = 0
$$b^2-4ac=0$$
$$(6+2m)^2-4(m^2+1)(5)=0$$
$$36+24m+4m^2-20m^2-20=0$$
$$-16m^2+24m+16=0$$
$$2m^2-3m-2=0$$
$$2m^2+m-4m-2=0$$
m(2m + 1) - 2(2m + 1) = 0
(m - 2)(2m + 1) = 0
m - 2 = 0 or 2m + 1 = 0
m = 2 or 2m = -1
After I rechecked the question, I did some typos and the option D was actually 2, so that is the answer.
 
Here is a little puzzle from the book 100 Geometric Games by Pierre Berloquin. The side of a small square is one meter long and the side of a larger square one and a half meters long. One vertex of the large square is at the center of the small square. The side of the large square cuts two sides of the small square into one- third parts and two-thirds parts. What is the area where the squares overlap?

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